In their June magazine, SPUR proposes a bold vision for transforming several San Francisco neighborhoods based on three big moves: tear down the end of Interstate 280, put Caltrain and high-speed rail underground, and redevelop the Caltrain railyard.
In a persuasive article, illustrated with compelling graphics, SPUR's Boulevard Task Force lays out the impetus for, and advantages of, the three moves described above in order to inspire city leaders to study the proposals.
"Taken together, these moves improve the entire area, knitting together SOMA, Mission Bay and Potrero Hill. They also have the potential to generate financial value by developing newly available land and making existing land more valuable," argue the authors. "This value can in turn be recaptured by the public sector to fund transit and urban design improvements. Taking such steps could be transformative for the area and for the city as a whole."
"We believe that this approach could be a regional and national model for how to use thoughtful development to retrofit past planning mistakes and pay for new infrastructure."
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